Father Francis McSpiritt October Newsletter 2015
PRAYER FOR THANKSGIVING
Loving God, we thank you:
For peace within our land
For plenty from Your bounteous hand,
For means to give to those in need,
For grace to help in thought and deed,
For faith to walk, our hands in Yours,
For truth to know Your law divine,
For strength to work with voice and pen,
For love to serve our fellow humans,
For light the goal ahead to see,
For life to use alone for You,
Loving God, we thank You.
Principal:
G. Sideroff
Vice Principal:
J. MacSween
Secretary:
K. Walsh
V. Lombardi
Superintendent:
D. Oude- Reimerink
Brampton North -East
(905) 890-1221
Trustee:
S. Xaviour
Parish:
St. Patrick’s Church
(905) 794-0486
Pastor:
Fr. V. Marziliano
Our Virtue for October is Empathy
An empathetic person…..
-
Listens attentively
Watches people’s body language
Notices and responds when someone is upset
Can name her/his feelings
Can see a situation from another person’s point of view
Knows that different people may feel differently about the same thing
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY OCTOBER 5
Father Francis McSpiritt
Catholic School
55 Lexington Road
Brampton, Ontario
L6P 2B1
Telephone: (905) 794-5031
Fax- (905) 794-9542
October 5th is United Nations World Teachers’ Day. We would like to recognize
and celebrate our teachers for their commitment and dedication to Catholic
Education. To our outstanding team of teachers, we thank you for the work you
do. You are the reason that we have such a great school and that our students
continue to excel. You truly make a difference.
Follow us on “Twitter” (@McSpirittDPSDSB) for the latest on what is going on in our school.
Be sure to visit our school website (www.dpcdsb.org/mcspi). Mrs. Steward updates the website
on a regular basis. You will also find the school newsletter on the website.
Father Francis McSpiritt October Newsletter 2015
Growing Together in Faith and Celebrating our Differences
We would like to invite you to our first liturgical event of the school year.
Please join us on Wednesday, October 14 at 9:30 AM for our opening school mass with Fr. Marziliano.
Our Thanksgiving food drive has now begun. Donations will be going to the Knight’s Table and will be
distributed to our local community who may be in need. We will be collecting until October 14. Thank
you in advance for your generosity.
SAFETY IN THE YARD
In the morning when dropping off your child in the yard, we ask that all adults please stay along the
perimeter of the yard and not walk through the yard. The staff will be approaching all adults in the yard
as a reminder. You may not be a stranger to your own child, however, you are a stranger to all the other
children.
Pupil Accommodation Review Policy Public Consultation
The Ministry of Education released the new Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline (PARG) in March
2015. This guideline sets expectations for all school boards on managing and reviewing underutilized
school space, including potential school closures, and for the greater coordination and sharing of
planning related information between school boards and other community partners.
The guideline requires all school boards in the province to develop or revise Pupil Accommodation
Review Policies and to invite public input into the policy before it is finalized.
A survey to collect feedback on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board’s draft amended Policy
6.51 Pupil Accommodation Review will be available for review and comment on the Board’s website at
www.dpcdsb.org until 4:30 pm on Friday, October 16, 2015. Supporting documents will also be available
for reference and review. Please consider reviewing and providing input on this policy.
REGISTRATION FOR RECONCILATION, FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION
Confirmation Registration Grades 7 & 8 at St. Patrick Church:
October 2, 4:00 to 6:00 PM
October 3, 1:30 to 4:00 PM
Reconciliation & First Communion Registration (Grade 2 and older) at St. Patrick Church:
October 9, 4:00 to 9:00 PM, October 10, 12:00 to 4:00 PM, October 16, 4 to 8 PM
Father Francis McSpiritt October Newsletter 2015
Personal Electronic Devices on Board Premises and/or Board Sanctioned Events
for Educational Purposes:
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board acknowledges the value of the use of technology for
learning. Students are permitted to register and use personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises
and/or board sanctioned events for educational purposes, under the direction of staff and only with
parent/guardian permission (GF 066, Network User Application and Agreement). Students may register
their PED for the purpose of connecting to the board wireless network. Students are required to adhere
to the student “Personal Electronic Device Used with WI-FI Network Student Agreement” and the
“Network User Application and Agreement.” Please be advised that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board will not be responsible for any cost incurred through the use of personal data plans.
PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not interfere with learning; their use must comply with the
Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and procedures. Any personal communications (i.e., phone
calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed through the main office. Failure to comply with
these guidelines may result in a loss of PED privileges and/or any other consequences deemed necessary
by school administration.
The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of personal electronic devices during schoolsanctioned activities for a specific designated purpose outside of instructional spaces and/or in common
areas.
Students are responsible for the safety and security of PEDs at all times and the
Board assumes no responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen devices.
Healthy eating at Fr. Francis McSpiritt School
Did you know that:




One in 10 students arrive at school without enough food for the day.
Students who eat breakfast every day are 34% less likely to develop type 2
diabetes.
Breakfast programs increase a student's ability to problem solve by up to 14%.
Students who eat breakfast show improved memory and focus, which can
improve grades by up to 15%.
Thank you to the YMCA of Greater Toronto and their Peel Student Nutrition Program,
for the funding to continue our McSpiritt Snack Program.
Father Francis McSpiritt October Newsletter 2015
ALLERGY ALERT- SABRINA’S LAW
We have a number of students at Fr. Francis McSpiritt with life threatening allergies.
Anaphylaxis is a severe and life-threatening reaction which can be caused by very small
quantities of the allergen. The most common allergens are peanuts, nut products and by
products.
We ask for the cooperation of the entire school community by NOT sending lunches, snacks, or
treats that contain nuts or nut products (including Tim Horton’s doughnuts and /or timbits
which are not nut free& Nutella). We are also discouraging the use of “Wowbutter” as it is
difficult for staff to distinguish it from real peanut butter.
If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, please so not send food products
to be shared with classmates. We suggest that you consider non-food items such as pencils,
stickers, etc.
Thank you for your cooperation.
TERRY FOX - McSpiritt staff and students participated in the Terry Fox Walk / Run on
September 30. All families were invited to donate a toonie ($2) in support of the Canadian
Cancer Society.
Catholic
School
Thank you to our teachers whoOur
coordinated
the event
andCouncil
thank you for all donations
received.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Thank you to all parents who came out for School Council Elections. Information regarding our
fundraising activities will be coming home soon. Thank you to Mrs. Spagnolo and Mrs. Da Rosa,
our co-chairs, for leading the meeting. Our next meeting will be on December 2 @ 6:30.
Father Francis McSpiritt October Newsletter 2015
Peel Police Youth Education Program
Once again this year, our Peel Police Officers are in the school educating our students.
November 9 & 10 – Grades 6, 7 & 8 – “Get Ready”, “Cyberbullying”, “Youth and the Law”
November 12 – Grades 1 & 2 - “Heroes and Bullies”
November 16 – Grades 5, 6, 8 ,- “Get Ready cont’d”, “Substance Abuse”
November 18 – Grades 3 & 4 – “Everyday Heroes”
We thank our Peel Regional Police officers for working with our students. Please do take the
time to speak with your children after the workshops and ask them about what they learned.
REMINDER
Monday, October 12, 2015 is Thanksgiving day. All schools are closed.
Books – Our Librarian and classroom teachers are asking that students / parents please take a
look around the house for school books. We are missing quite a few and need your help in
locating them. Thank you.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Oct. 1
Oct. 12
Oct. 14
Oct. 16
Oct. 19
Oct. 26
Oct. 28
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 13
Nov. 16
Nov. 17
Nov. 19
Nov. 23
Immunization Clinic Hep. Gr. 7 Girls & Boys, HPV Gr.8 Girls
Thanksgiving Monday – No School for staff and students
Opening / Thanksgiving mass 9:30 AM in gym
Picture Day
Pizza Day
Pizza Day
Regional Arts Program (St. Thomas Aquinas) visits Gr. 8 classes
Pizza Day
Pizza Day
Picture Retake
Pizza Day
Progress reports go home
Interview Evening – as requested by “teacher”
Pizza Day